DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "surfaces between the ribs" in the last line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8, 10, 12-18, as best understood, 20, and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takahashi (US PG-pub 2005/0161093).
Regarding claims 1-6, Takahashi teaches the check valve has an inlet 11 (fig. 2A) and an outlet 33, which define a flow direction that extends from the inlet to the outlet, and wherein the check valve has a piston 2, which is arranged such that it can move relative to the inlet and outlet, for opening and closing the inlet of the check valve, wherein the piston 2 defines a piston axis with a first end facing the inlet 11 and a second end facing the outlet 33, wherein the piston 2 has an outer surface (ribbed surface 12), along which a fluid flowing through the check valve in the flow direction flows, and wherein the outlet has outlet channels 33 to allow the fluid to flow outward out of the check valve, all of the outlet channels 33 of the outlet run obliquely with respect to the piston axis (the flow channels 33 are located along the periphery of the piston); in an open position of the piston 2, only one channel is open, which extends from the inlet 11 to the outlet 33 and which extends exclusively along the outer surface of the piston (when the valve is open one fluid passageway extending from the inlet past the piston to the outlets 33); (claim 3) piston 2 opens only one channel between the inlet and outlet, which extends only along the outer surface of the piston (when the piston is unseated one fluid passageway extends from the inlet past the piston to the outlets 33); (claim 4) piston 2 has radially projecting ribs 7 on its circumference; the check valve has a valve body 1, wherein the piston 2 is arranged movably in the valve body 1 and wherein the piston is movable with guidance by the valve body; wherein the piston 2 has radially projecting ribs 7 on its circumference and wherein at least one of the ribs 7 is supported in the valve body (supported by the ribs 12 of the valve body).
Regarding claims 8, 10, 12-18, 20, and 21, Takahashi teaches (claims 8 and 21) wherein the outer surface along which the fluid flows is arranged between the ribs 7 (fig. 3A); wherein at least one part of the piston 62 is manufactured from a plastic (rubber; para. 0031, lines 1); (claim 12) wherein there is a return spring 4, which presses the piston 2 into a sealing seat (body of valve nearest inlet) in order to close the check valve; (claim 13) there is a coupling element 3, which is secured on a housing of the check valve, wherein the coupling element 3 has through openings 33, which form the outlet channels 33; wherein the piston 2 is guided in the valve body 1 and is arranged at a distance from the coupling element (arranged a distance from the bottom of the coupling element); wherein there is a return spring 4, which presses the piston 2 into a sealing seat in order to close the check valve and wherein the return spring 4 is arranged with a first end in the piston 2 and with a second end in the coupling element 3; (claim 16) wherein the return spring 4 is arranged in the piston (in between the cup portion of the piston) and wherein it is surrounded by the outlet channels 33; wherein the check valve has a valve body 1, wherein the piston is arranged movably in the valve body and wherein the piston is movable with guidance by the valve body and wherein the valve body 1 is the housing; wherein there is the same number of outlet channels 33 and surfaces 71 between the ribs 7; (claim 20) wherein the outer surface 71 along which the fluid flows is arranged between the ribs.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 7 and 11, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi in view of Hansen (US PG pub 2016/0053902).
Regarding claim 7 and 11, Takahashi fails to disclose firstly, wherein the sealing seat is made of metal; secondly, wherein the entire piston is manufactured from plastic.
Firstly, Hansen teaches a valve body sealing seat 101 (fig. 1) being made of metal capable of sustaining elevated temperatures and high pressures (para. 0014, last line); secondly, Hansen teaches the entire piston can be made from plastic (i.e. elastic polymer; para. 0014).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to employ in Takahashi a sealing seat made of metal and a piston made from plastic, as taught by Hansen, for the purpose of sustaining elevated temperatures and high pressures.
Claim(s) 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi in view of Kane (US PG-pub 2006/0196553).
Regarding claim 22, Takahashi fails to disclose the entire piston is manufactured from PEEK.
Kane teaches a piston 4 (fig. 1) made of PEEK to enhance stiffness of the sealing piston (para. 0010).
It would have obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to employ in Takahashi, a piston made entirely of PEEK, as taught by Kane, for the purpose of enhancing stiffness of the sealing piston.
Claim(s) 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi in view of Weh et al. (US PG-pub 20130099486).
Regarding claim 23, Takahashi fails to disclose wherein the check valve is a check valve of a hydrogen refueling system (para. 001).
Weh teaches a check valve (fig. 1) is a check valve of a hydrogen refueling system to provide a leak-free seal of check valves in such high-pressure connections.
It would have obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to employ in Takahashi, a check valve as being of a hydrogen refueling system, as taught by Weh, for the purpose of providing a leak-free seal of check valves in such high-pressure connections.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Takahashi fails to disclose herein the piston seals without an elastomeric seal; hydrogen refueling system comprising a first line for connecting a first storage bank to a dispensing line and comprising a second line for connecting a second storage bank to the same dispensing line.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to P. MACADE NICHOLS whose telephone number is (571)270-5428. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:00-5:00 P.M..
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/P. MACADE NICHOLS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
